Stage Races in California and Spain Mark Season Start for 5-hour ENERGY

Stage Races in California and SpainMark Season Start for 5-hour ENERGY

Stage Races in California and Spain
Mark Season Start for 5-hour ENERGY
Presented by Kenda Racing TeamDAHLONEGA, GEORGIA (March 19, 2013) – Since completing team camp mid-February in the north Georgia mountains, the 5-hour ENERGY presented by Kenda Racing Team reconvenes for the start of the 2013 road cycling season with two premier stage races in California. In April, the squad will travel to Spain for the first time to race in the Vuelta a Castilla y León (April 12-14), a 2.1-rated stage race on the UCI Europe Tour.

The 5-hour ENERGY presented by Kenda Racing Team will race March 22-24 at the 14th annual San Dimas Stage Race in San Dimas, Calif. From April 4-7, the Team will remain in the Los Angeles area to compete in the Redlands Bicycle Classic in Redlands, Calif.

Director Sportif Frankie Andreu named the following riders to the squad for both California events and the Vuelta a Castilla y León:

· Nate English (Berkeley, Calif.)

· Max Jenkins (Citrus Heights, Calif.)

· Francisco “Paco” Mancebo (El Tiemblo, Spain)

· Shawn Milne (Beverly, Mass.)

· Taylor Shelden (Boulder, Colo.)

· Jim Stemper (Wauwatosa, Wisc.)

· Bobby Sweeting (Asheville, N.C.)

· David Williams (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

The 14th Annual San Dimas Stage Race presented by Southern California Velo begins this Friday with three days of racing in the San Gabriel Mountains. Friday begins with the Chaffey Auto Body Time Trial. Stage 2 on Saturday is the San Dimas Hospital Road Race, which is a total of 84 miles on a circuit around Bonelli Park. The third and final stage for the weekend is the 90-minute Incycle/Cannondale Old Town Gran Prix around the streets of Old Town San Dimas. Mancebo finished 4th overall in 2011 and English was third in the TT in 2012.

Now in its 29th year, the Redlands Bicycle Classic kicks off the 2013 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar season. Mancebo looks to be the podium for the third time in three years, winning the G.C. in 2011 and finishing third overall in 2012. This year the four-day event opens with a prologue around Big Bear Lake, the Big Bear Time Trial on Thursday, April 4. Stage 1 on Friday will feature the 120.5-mile City of Beaumont Circuit Road Race. Stage 2 on Saturday is the 90-minute City of Redlands Criterium. The event concludes Sunday with the 94.1-mile Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race.

Vuelta a Castilla y León is held in the Castile-León region of Spain, an arid and mountainous area in the northwestern part of the country. The region sits with the Basque Country to the north and the capitol city of Madrid to the south. Mancebo is a two-time champion of this event, winning in 2000 (racing for Banesto) and 2003 (racing for iBanesto.com). As the team prepares to compete in Spain, D.S. Andreu looks to the Spanish team leader to pilot the full squad in his native country.

“Our invitation to Spain is a big step towards the development of our program,” said Andreu. “It’s an important race for 5-hour ENERGY Team, and it’s a key market for our title sponsor, 5-hour ENERGY. The three road stages suit our squad and we know the competition will be tough. We look forward to helping Mancebo do well in his home country and racing at this top level. This is a great opportunity for our riders to show their strengths and secure future invitations to races in Europe.”

Vuelta a Castilla y León reduced the number of stages from five to three for last year’s edition. This year’s race will cover close to 300 miles in three days.